Celosia plant named ‘Zancetopicsun’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Celosia  plant named ‘Zancetopicsun’, characterized by its compact and upright plant habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; bright yellow-colored flowers arranged on cristate-type inflorescences; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Celosia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ZANCETOPICSUN’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Celosia plant, botanically known as Celosia hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Zancetopicsun’.

The new Celosia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hillegom, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact and uniform Celosia plants with attractive flower coloration.

The new Celosia plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Celosia hybrida ‘Zancetopicyel’, not patented. The new Celosia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within a population of plants of ‘Zancetopicyel’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands on May 24, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Celosia plant by cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands since Jun. 28, 2010 has shown that the unique features of this new Celosia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Celosia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Zancetopicsun’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Zancetopicsun’ as a new and Celosia plant:

-   -   1. Compact and broadly upright plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Bright yellow-colored flowers arranged on cristate-type         inflorescences.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Celosia differ primarily from plants of the mutation parent, ‘Zancetopicyel’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Celosia are more uniform than plants of         ‘Zancetopicyel’.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Celosia are brighter yellow in         color than flowers of plants of ‘Zancetopicyel’.

Plants of the new Celosia can be compared to plants of Celosia argentea ‘Zancelpi’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,300. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Celosia and ‘Zancelpi’ differed primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Celosia were more compact than plants of         ‘Zancelpi’.     -   2. Plants of the new Celosia and ‘Zancelpi’ differed in flower         color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Celosia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Celosia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Zancetopicsun’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering stem and upper surfaces of typical developing and fully expanded leaves of ‘Zancetopicsun’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the spring in 9-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 22° C. Plants were pinched one time about 2.5 weeks after planting and were ten weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Celosia hybrida ‘Zancetopicsun’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Celosia     hybrida ‘Zancetopicyel’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate and develop roots, summer.—About 12 days at             temperatures about 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; close to 199D in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Herbaceous annual typically             grown as a potted plant; compact and broadly upright plant             habit; freely branching habit with about six lateral             branches developing per plant; moderately vigorous.         -   Plant height.—About 25 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 24 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 24 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.             Internode length: About 2 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 139D. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; simple.         -   Length.—About 10 cm to 15 cm.         -   Width.—About 2 cm to 5 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,             close to 149D. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 138A; venation, close to 144B.         -   Petiole length.—About 2 cm to 3 cm.         -   Petiole diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Petiole color, upper surface.—Close to 149D.         -   Petiole color, lower surface.—Close to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single elliptical flowers             arranged in terminal and axillary spikes; cristate-type             inflorescences; flowers face mostly upright; freely             flowering habit, about 80 to 140 flowers per inflorescence             and about 5,600 flowers developing per plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about six             weeks after planting; in the garden, plants flower             continuously during the summer in The Netherlands.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences last about two             months on the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 4 cm to 6.5 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 2.5 cm to 5 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Flower depth.—About 6 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Shape: Elliptic. Color: Close to 158D.         -   Petals.—None observed.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five. Length: About             5 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute.             Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 158D; color does not fade             with development. When opening and fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 158D; color does not fade with             development. Prophylls: Towards the apex, close to 18A;             towards the base, close to 158D.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle:             About 45° from vertical. Strength: Weak; flexible. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 150D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             five. Filament length: About 1.5 mm. Filament color: Close             to 150D. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther color: Close to             177C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 156D.             Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About             4 mm. Style length: About 2 mm. Style color: Close to 150D.             Stigma color: Close to 160C. Ovary color: Close to 154D.         -   Seeds.—Length: About 1.5 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Color:             Close to 202A. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Celosia have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Celosia     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Celosia have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to 35° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Celosia plant named ‘Zancetopicsun’ as illustrated and described. 